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Antidepressants for Sleep Problems

Topic Overview

Antidepressant medicines are often prescribed for people
who have
insomnia. Best results are seen in people who also
have depression. Doctors often prescribe low doses of
certain antidepressants in an attempt to facilitate sleep, even though the
medicines have not been well studied for insomnia.

Examples of
the antidepressants that might be prescribed for insomnia are amitriptyline and
trazodone.

The side effects of these medicines, which may include
sexual dysfunction, weight gain, dry mouth and throat, racing pulse, confusion,
and disturbed dreams, must be weighed against their potential benefits.

FDA advisories. The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has issued:

A warning on the antidepressants Paxil and Paxil
CR (paroxetine) and birth defects. One new study showed that women who took
Paxil during their first 12 weeks of pregnancy had a slightly higher chance of
having a baby with birth defects.

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